


Heaven Help A Fool Who Falls In Love

by cloudedink



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gay Panic, Lesbians, Minor Character Death, Nebula Hates Men, Sharing a Bed, TW slight abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:00:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21642595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloudedink/pseuds/cloudedink
Summary: Title from Ophelia by the LumineersThe King of the kingdom of Titan, Thanos himself, is having suitors from eligible kingdoms come meet his daughters, the Princesses Gamora and Nebula.  Gamora breezes through the interviews, Nebula, not so much.
Relationships: Gamora & Nebula (Marvel), Gamora/Peter Quill, Mantis/Nebula (Marvel), Nebula & Thanos (Marvel)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 27





	Heaven Help A Fool Who Falls In Love

Men, are a pain in the ass, especially when they’re trying to prove to Nebula that they are worthy of her hand in marriage. They are delusional, she thinks. No man is worthy of her. Nebula has to resist the urge to roll her eyes as suitor after suitor makes their way into the grand hall of the castle in an attempt to woo her and Gamora. The most despicable part of all of this is the fact that she only has a say in which suitor gets her hand, as long as she does eventually choose one. 

The dress she is wearing is big and heavy and she hates it almost as much as she hates this routine of “curtsy, listen to suitor introduce himself, nod politely, decline his hand, and roll her eyes at her sister who is so much better at all of this then she is.” Her head hurts and she just wants to change into some trousers and curl up under her covers. Nebula glances around to make sure no one is really paying attention to her and quickly rubs her eyes out of boredom. She doesn’t understand why she has to stay after rejecting the last suitor. Instead of watching Gamora’s pained smile, she could be in her room doing nothing but sleeping, not peacefully, but sleeping nonetheless.

“Thank you gentlemen for introducing yourselves to my daughters. Please do not feel bad if they decide to choose someone else as we have a lot of suitors coming to our castle every week.” Her father’s voice snaps her out of her thoughts.

“Finally,” Nebula mutters. She flinches as she feels something sharp jab her in the side, only to see her sister giving her a look of “don’t.” She glares back at her sister as all of the guests packed up to go to their rooms for the night.

“Princess Gamora, you are dismissed until supper,” Thanos says after everyone leaves.

“Thank you, Father,” she curtsies and walks out of the hall.

“Face me, Princess Nebula.”

Nebula turns around to face her father, only to be met with him slapping her across the face. She stumbles backwards out of shock. “I’m sorry?”

Thanos slaps her again. “First of all, stop rejecting every suitor I bring here for you. Secondly, quit it with that attitude of yours. Understand?” 

“Yes, Father,” she says, trying to conceal how badly she wants to start shaking.

“You are dismissed now.” 

“Thank you, Father.” She curtsies and has to restrain herself from actually running out of the room. 

Standing in the hall waiting for her is Mantis, her handmaiden and friend. “Are you okay?” she asks. 

“Yeah. Let's just get back to my room, as fast as possible.” Nebula is positive that she is visibly shaking right now. 

Mantis nods and escorts her down the hall to her room. After Mantis closes the door, Nebula starts hyperventilating. She runs her hands through her hair and presses the heels of her palms into her eyes and brow bone. Nebula squeezes her eyes shut in order to push back the tears that have began to form. She feels an arm slide over her shoulders and pull her in. She leans into Mantis's touch, feeling somewhat safer. “Breathe,” Mantis says. “Focus on breathing steadily.” Nebula nods. 

Mantis moves to face her, resting one hand on Nebula's shoulder, and the other under her chin, tilting it up, causing Nebula to look at her. “Let's get you out of that suffocating dress and into some trousers and a shirt.” Nebula nods again and sniffs. She relaxes as Mantis unties the dress and lifts it over her head. By the time the dress is completely off and Nebula is wearing the trousers and shirt, she feels much better. 

Mantis has already pulled the cover back on her bed, so Nebula lays down and pulls a blanket on top of her. After she hangs the dress back up in Nebula's closet, Mantis lays on top of the bed next to Nebula. “What happened today?” 

“The same as usual. None of the suitors were my type.” 

“What about Gamora?” 

“I try to not pay attention to my sister's ability to consider any of them.” 

“Why did the king hold you back?” Mantis props her head up on one hand. 

“My father just wanted to yell at me about refusing every suitor. And my attitude.”

“Did he hit you again?” Concern fills Mantis's voice. 

“Twice. Don't make a big deal out of it, Mantis. I'm used to it.” Nebula rubs her cheek where she is pretty sure a bruise will be forming by the time she wakes up the next morning. 

“Nebs...” 

“Honestly, Mantis, I would rather he hit me every day, then I have to sit through another suitor introduce himself to me.”

Mantis shakes her head. “This whole suitor thing is really getting to you.” 

“Can you blame me?” Nebula lowers her voice to a quiet whisper. “He expects me to marry a man when I am only interested in women and I can't say anything about it because then I could be disowned or even killed. Which wouldn't be too bad, I would be away from him, but it would crush my sister and I can't do that to her.” 

“I understand, really, I do. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if she wasn’t who she was and it was possible for me to be with her.” Mantis reaches forward and tucks a strand of hair behind Nebula’s ear. “That was bothering me.” 

Nebula smiles lightly. “I’m glad that I have someone who understands my problems. I mean, I’m not glad that you cannot be with this mystery girl who you refuse to tell me about, but I am glad that we can talk about these things free of judgement.”

“I get what you were attempting to say. It’s just frustrating because she knows who I am, I’ve talked to her multiple times, and I’m pretty sure she only thinks of me as just another handmaiden.” Nebula can see the tears forming in Mantis’s eyes. She hates seeing her friend in pain, but she can’t do anything about it. 

“But didn’t you say that she’s from the lower village? People with your social status are allowed to marry people in the villages.” 

Mantis sighed. “Her father has already determined what type of man she is going to marry. I have no chance with her at all. It’s killing me to know I can’t do anything.”

“Oh. Well everything will work out the way it is supposed to.” Nebula reaches out and grabs Mantis’s hand, lacing their fingers together. Mantis tenses up due to her sensitivity to sudden physical contact, but quickly relaxes. She nods. 

“It is getting late,” Mantis lets go of Nebula’s hand and sits up. “Would you like for me to draw you a bath?” 

“Uh,” Nebula sits up as well. “Sure. Once you’re done with that can you go tell the kitchen staff that I’m not feeling great and would like to eat dinner in my room?” 

Mantis stares at her in confusion. She quickly presses a hand to Nebula’s forehead and shakes her head. “You are not burning up.” 

“I’m not actually sick. I just do not feel like facing my father.” 

“Oh.” Mantis glances towards the large bathroom. “Okay. I’ll get the bath going and then alert the kitchen staff to send your meal up here.” 

“Thank you.” 

***

It’s late. Nebula knows this. She needs to sleep but she just can’t. She’s been tossing and turning in bed for the past hour. Mantis has already gone back to her quarters, and Gamora is most likely asleep, so there really is no point in staying up when she has no one to talk to.

Except her mind has been racing nonstop and she can’t slow it down. Nebula grabs a coat and throws it on over her night clothes before going out onto her balcony. Hiding in a potted plant is a rope ladder which she sometimes uses to sneak out at night and go into the gardens. She reaches into the pot and grabs the ladder, secures it to the railing, then throws it over and climbs down. When she’s at the bottom of the ladder, she jumps off and onto the ground. Instantly Nebula feels better and more relaxed. 

The moon is full and the stars are bright. If Nebula were wearing running shoes, she would run to the edge of the gardens. She would climb up the large oak tree near the wall and jump over the wall. Nebula would lay on the grass, stare at the stars, and pretend that all the pressures to keep up her father’s good reputation and find a suitor that she liked had melted away, suddenly irrelevant. But she wasn’t wearing running shoes, rather just bedtime slippers. 

“What are you doing up?”

Nebula jumps slightly and turns around to face her sister. “Don’t sneak up on me like that or I may just slit your throat.” 

Gamora smiles. “I doubt you could actually do that. Now answer my question. What are you doing up?” 

“I could ask the same of you.” Nebula crosses her arms. 

“I’m up wondering why you’re up. Now answer the question, Nebula.” 

“Can’t sleep.” She shrugs. “Simple. My brain won’t slow down and I can’t stay cooped up in there anymore.” 

Gamora tilts her head and stares at Nebula. “Let’s go to the bench. Okay?” 

“Sure.” 

The bench is in the middle of the gardens. It is old and wooden but it has sat there as long as Nebula can remember in her twenty years of living. Her and Gamora always go to the bench when they need to talk. There’s just something about the bench that feels safe. It’s as if Thanos and the rest of the world are blocked out by a barrier that she can’t see. The whole garden has that same feeling. The feeling that she gets when she’s in the garden reminds her of the feeling that she gets whenever she has Mantis sleep next to her after she has a nightmare about some of the things that Thanos has done to her in the past. The pain, the fear, all of it, just disappears whether she’s in the garden, sitting on the bench and talking to her older sister, or wide awake at night with Mantis holding onto her reassuringly. 

“What’s really going on, Nebula?” Gamora asks when they finally get to the bench. 

“I can’t do it,” she sighs, putting her head in her hands. 

“Can’t do what?” 

“This whole act.” Nebula motions around her. “I can’t do it Gamora. I’ve tried but I just, I can’t anymore.” She’s shaking again. The only people Nebula is willing to open up to are Mantis and Gamora, but for a long time it was only Mantis. Her relationship with her sister has definitely come a long way, and she is so incredibly thankful for that. 

“You’ve been fine before though? What’s changed, Sister?”

Nebula doesn’t want to cry, but she feels the tears prickling in her eyes and it’s so hard to hold them in that she just can’t. She feels Gamora wrap her arms around her in a hug and she doesn’t protest. “I’ve tried. I really have,” she cries. “But I just can’t do it. I can’t marry any of them without being miserable.” She wipes at her eyes. “And I’m tired of watching you keep it up effortlessly and I’m just tired. I don’t want this life.” 

Gamora sighs and looks at her. “Listen, I know how hard this is for you-”

“No you don’t.” 

“-But it’s not as easy for me as you think it is. Lylla could tell you a lot of stories about me crying myself to sleep because I just want it to be over as well. Do you think I want a somewhat arranged marriage? I don’t. Nebula, we do what we have to do for the good of our kingdom.” 

Pulling away from Gamora, Nebula scoffs and stands up. “You’re no help,” she mutters.

“Nebula…” 

“Goodnight Gamora. I’m going to try and get some rest.” 

***

By some miracle, she actually managed to get some sleep, only for it to get ripped away from her thanks to Mantis shaking her awake. 

“Get up,” she says as Nebula buries her face into her pillow. 

“Why?” Her voice is muffled. 

Mantis is silent for a moment. “Another suitor is on his way.” 

_ “What?” _ Nebula sits up sharply, causing Mantis to back up a bit frightened. “There aren’t supposed to be more for a week.” 

“I know that. I’m guessing he’s just running behind schedule.” 

“I’d rather go back to sleep.” 

“I know,” she sighs. “But I cannot allow that or both of us will get punished, most likely by your father.” 

Nebula grabs a pillow and screams into it. She doesn’t know how long she screams for, but it is long enough to cause her throat to start hurting.  _ “I can’t do this anymore!”  _

“Listen,” Mantis sits down in front of her. “I am going to be blunt, but you don’t have a choice, Nebula.” Nebula bangs her head into her wall a few times. “Stop that!” Mantis yells. She reaches forward and grabs Nebula by the collar, gasping slightly when their foreheads touch. Nebula closes her eyes, trying to ignore the sudden spike in her heart rate. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispers. 

“It’s okay,” Mantis responds. “You can do this. I believe in you.” 

“I don’t believe in myself though.” 

“That’s alright. You do not need to believe in yourself.” Mantis lightly kisses her forehead. “However, it is time to get ready, and I need a little extra time to cover up any bruises.”

Nebula pulls back and looks at her friend. She sighs. “Let’s get this over with.” 

Despite saying that she would need extra time, Mantis actually completed her task fairly quickly. At least, to Nebula, it felt quick. Then again, time seems to fly when she is talking to Mantis. However, she doesn't understand why when she gets out of the chair and faces Mantis and sees the small smile Mantis always wears when she sees her, she doesn't understand why that small smiles makes her feel weird and fuzzy on the inside. It's probably just nerves, she thinks. 

“Believe it or not, there actually is not a bruise on your cheek, so I didn't really need to put much makeup on you.”

“Seriously?” 

Mantis nods. “I’m going to go get your outfit, don’t go anywhere.” 

“I don’t plan on it,” Nebula jokes. 

With a slight smirk Mantis looks at her and rolls her eyes before disappearing into Nebula’s large closet to pick out some sort of dress for her to wear. Nebula would rather she come out with a suit, but she knows that as long as Thanos lives, that won’t happen. 

“Alright I found one,” Mantis says as she walks out of the closet. “You like it?” 

The dress is a dark black, off the shoulder short sleeve piece. The sleeves and neckline are made of lace with a few small gemstones. The fabric looks to be velvet. Nebula is about to critique it, when she notices that the dress isn’t actually a dress. 

“It’s a jumpsuit?” she asks. 

Mantis nods. “I had the seamstress turn one of your unworn dresses and alter it to make you feel a little bit more comfortable. I know the lace is a bit much, but you still need to look feminine or the king won’t be happy.”

Nebula quickly wraps her arms around her friend in a hug. “I love you,” she says. She feels Mantis stiffen up in the hug so she lets go of her and steps back. The emotions that are so evident on Mantis’s face are difficult to read. Nebula really has no clue as to what they could mean. 

“Good to know,” Mantis finally says. “But we are running out of time and you need to get dressed and I need to quickly fix your hair still.” 

“Okay.

***

Gamora stole her color scheme for the day. Her dress is the same shade of black as her jumpsuit, except uglier. It’s off the shoulder and there’s tulle sticking out of the neckline and the dress just doesn’t look good on her at all. Which is hard to believe; her sister looks good in almost everything. 

“Are you okay?” her sister whispers. 

“Yes.” Nebula avoids her gaze.

“I do not think you are.”

“Shut up,” she says quickly.

“I'm sorry that I care about you.”

Nebula doesn't respond. She just turns away and faces out over the hall.

An oafish man-child stumbles into the room like the drunk spawn of a fish and a monkey. Immediately, Nebula groans internally. This guy is going to be fun to deal with. He straightens himself up and holds his hands out in front of him. 

“Uh, hey,” he stutters. “My name is Peter Quill of the uh-  _ Prince _ Peter Quill of the kingdoms Terra and Ego.” 

Nebula stares at him, mouth slightly open in shock at just how unprofessional and clumsy he is. At least she has a valid excuse for rejecting him. She opens her mouth to do the routined introductions that she and Gamora do every time they’re meeting new suitors. Before she can say anything though, Quill interrupts her. 

“Actually I’m only interested in meeting Princess Gamora. Wait shit that probably sounded rude I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry.” 

“It is fine,” Nebula says. She’s trying to keep the relief hidden. She turns around to face Thanos and he nods slightly, dismissing her. As she’s leaving the room, she turns around once to see how Gamora is responding to Quill, and she stops. There’s a look on Gamora’s face that she hasn’t seen before, a look of fondness of some sort. She doesn’t understand her sister’s taste in men, but if he makes her happy, and from the look of it, he is at the moment, then he’s okay. 

Like always, Mantis is waiting in the halls for her. 

“That was fast,” she says. 

“He was only interested in Gamora.” 

“Oh?”

“Yeah. My father didn’t say anything, just dismissed me so I’m free now.” 

“Do you want to go change and then we go hang out in the gardens or something?” 

Nebula nods. 

***

The sun is out, not the moon, but that’s okay. Nobody really pays much attention to her, so she’s able to get away with a lot more things. For example, climbing up the tree that hangs over the fence and dropping down to outside the castle grounds and looking out over the village. Nebula rolls on her side the face Mantis, who is laying on the ground next to her, playing with some flowers. She looks peaceful, beautiful even, with her dark black hair in a bit of a mess with blades of grass tangled in it. Little flyaways stick to her forehead and she smiles at the flowers. 

“I know that they are technically weeds, but they’re pretty,” she says. 

_ Like you _ , Nebula thinks. 

Mantis glances up at her and Nebula feels a spike in her heart rate. She has the sudden urge to take Mantis’s face in her hands and kiss her, but she quickly shakes that thought from her head. Mantis is her friend, Nebula wouldn’t risk jeopardizing their friendship because of a stupid thought. She quickly turns away from her and glances out over the village again. “So are they,” she says instead, motioning to the villagers. “But they’re clueless.” 

Mantis sits up. “What do you mean?” 

“They look up to my father believing that he gives a damn about them. They have no idea that one of their princesses is a closeted lesbian because if I come out, they’ll never hear from me again. They don’t know that behind these castle walls, their king abuses me and Gamora and some of the work-staff nonstop, everyday. He’s had people killed, sent to the front lines of wars because they threatened to expose us. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself and his power and I wish they knew that because maybe, just maybe, they would storm the castle and overthrow my father and I wouldn’t have to deal with him ever again.” 

“Oh…”

“Yeah.” 

They sit in silence side by side, both staring out at the village, with Mantis leaning her head on Nebula’s shoulder until a guard comes running out. 

“Princess! Ladies! Come inside now it’s dangerous!” He yells. 

They whip their heads around. “What’s wrong?” Nebula asks, panicked. 

“Your father, Miss, he’s been attacked. He’s dead. You two must come inside now and go to your designated safe rooms.” 

She climbs over the fence quickly, helping pull Mantis up and over after she gets to the top. “She’s staying with me,” Nebula says after they’re both over the fence and back in the garden. 

“Whatever you say Miss. Just get to the room now!” 

They enter one of the many side doors and start running down the halls to one of the secret entrance to Nebula’s safe room. She basically shoves Mantis into the tunnel and then follows after her, nodding to the guard before closing the door. There’s a candle on a ledge right by the door so she lights it. When she can see, she sees that Mantis is shaking with fear. In her hands is one of the flowers she was playing with, crushed now from her gripping onto it. 

“Hey,” she says, putting her hand on Mantis’s cheek, “It’s okay. We’re gonna be okay.” 

Mantis nods shakily and all Nebula wants to do is hold her close and kiss her problems away and oh shit her father just died and she likes her best friend. She should’ve believed Gamora when she said that she wouldn’t be surprised if her and Mantis had eventually gotten together, that it was obvious they were perfect for each other, but Nebula was so deep in the idea that she couldn’t love anyone that she ignored it and pushed any signs to the back of her mind and called them “friendship.” Now that she thinks about it, there’s a lot of signs that she likes Mantis, she just didn’t realize them until now. 

“We’re here,” she finally says after the get to the room. “There’s only one bed but we’ve slept in the same bed before so I don’t think it’ll be much of a problem.” 

“Yeah, no it’s fine.” Mantis’s voice is still shaky. 

“Go to sleep,” Nebula says. “I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.” 

Mantis just nods. 

***

Her heart is pounding harder than it has in a long time. Nebula keeps staring at Mantis, who is sleeping next to her at the moment, unable to take her eyes off of her. She doesn’t want to tell her about her realization, but if she doesn’t she thinks she’ll go insane. Everything inside of her is screaming “don’t tell her” but her hand is reaching towards Mantis and before she knows it, Mantis is awake looking back at her. 

“What’s wrong?” she asks. “Nightmare?” 

“Uh, no.” She’s shaking and her voice wobbles. 

Mantis stares at her confused. “Then what?” 

Nebula sighs and opens her mouth to speak, only nothing comes out. She shakes her hands out and stands up, she paces the safe room, wall to wall, a few times before Mantis grabs her by the shoulders.

“What. Is. It?” Mantis says sternly. 

_ Don't do this.  _ “It's uh, I uh.” She shakes her head and smacks her arm a few times. 

Mantis reaches up and grabs her hand. The look of confusion changes to worry and concern. “Stop hitting yourself. Nebula, what's wrong?”

Before she can answer, there’s a loud bang outside and both of them yelp in fear. She feels Mantis grip onto her. There’s another loud bang, but this one is closer. Mantis has started crying in fear and Nebula doesn’t blame her. 

“IthinkIlikeyou,” she blurts out in her fear and panic. Instant regret and embarrassment floods over her.  _ Shit.  _

“Wh-what?” Mantis sniffles. 

“I think I like you…” Nebula says again, unable to back out of this now. “I wasn’t going to say anything but we might die and if I never get to say it and something happens I’d hate myself forever.”

Mantis lets go of her hand and backs up in a singular and swift motion. “That's not funny.” 

“I wasn’t trying to be funny.” 

“Do you think that this is some sick joke?” Mantis looks pissed, and it’s making Nebula worried. 

“Wha-what? No! Mantis what are you talking about?” 

Tears are threatening to spill again. “Who told you?” she asks. “Who told you and who put you up to this?” 

“Mantis, talk to me,” Nebula says. She thinks that she's done something wrong, and is wishing she could dig herself into a hole and die. 

“ _ Who told you?” _

“Who told me what?” 

“Who told you that I am in love with you and have been for years now?” Mantis finally yells.

Nebula stares at her. “Why? How?” is all she can ask. Her heart is doing flips since she now knows that her feelings are reciprocated, but she doesn’t get why they’re reciprocated.

“How could I not be? You’re kind and caring and loving and you try to hide your feelings because you’re scared of getting hurt but you trust me with them and no one has ever trusted me like that. No one has ever cared for me the way that you have. And you’re really pretty so that’s a factor in it.” 

“Mantis,” she cries. 

“But I guess that’s changed now and you’re just like everyone else.” 

“What?” 

“You’re obviously just playing with me. No one would seriously love me. I’m too skinny, too pale, too grimmy. You’re a princess and I used to basically be a street rat scrounging around for scraps before I got this job.” She throws her arms at her sides in frustration. There is yet another loud bang that comes from somewhere else in the castle and Mantis collapses onto the floor whimpering in fear. 

Nebula kneels on the floor next to her. “Mantis, I’m not playing with you.” 

“Prove it then.” 

Naturally, Nebula sighs and takes Mantis’s face in her hands and kisses her. Mantis gasps slightly before kissing her back and it’s the greatest thing Nebula has ever experienced and she doesn’t want it to end. She pulls away and Mantis is obviously trying to catch her breath. “Okay, so you weren’t messing with me.” 

“No,” Nebula shakes her head and smiles at her. 

“We can really do this now? Be together?” 

“Yeah.” 

“I like that,” Mantis says before grabbing Nebula by the collar and kissing her again. Nebula smiles into the kiss as Mantis’s hand manages to snake its way into her hair. It’s taken way too long for them to get to this moment, but it’s here now and it’s perfect. 

***

This time, it’s Nebula helping Mantis pick out a fancy dress and do her hair. Since the attack, Nebula has cut her hair to her shoulders and has had the seamstress turn all of the dresses and jumpsuits and normal suits. Sometimes when she’s trying them on, Gamora and Mantis will sit on her bed and give her their opinions. 

Gamora is the queen now, granted, her coronation hasn’t happened yet, that’s what she and Mantis are currently getting ready for, but she’s still in charge of everything, and already, Nebula can see a difference. The castle is more lively, she feels more free, and the village looks cleaner. There’s less people on the streets and more people working in shops. Peter Quill isn’t king yet, but it’s only a matter of time before Gamora proposes. Nebula hates to admit it, but she honestly doesn’t think that there could be anyone better for her sister than the oafish man-child. 

There’s no more suitors. They were the first to go as soon as the attack had ended. Some were disappointed, others threw fits, but they were gone, and they weren’t coming back. 

Gamora’s had a few therapists come from the village come and live in the castle. They have their own rooms and anyone who’s been a victim to their father’s abuse can go and talk to them and help them heal. Nebula was opposed to it at first, but is glad that Mantis forced her to go to sessions once a week, plus whenever she had really bad night terrors. 

But the best part of it all is that now Nebula doesn’t feel pressured to fit someone else’s ideas of who she should be. Gamora supports and accepts her choices and even defends her when the situation calls for it. 

“You look happy,” Mantis says, snapping her out of her train of thought. 

“Is that a good thing?” 

“Yes,” she says as Nebula turns her around to face her in order to do her makeup. 

“I’m glad that this is reality now. And that everything that happened is now in the past and I don’t have to worry about suitors or my father and I have you now.” Nebula smiles and quickly kisses Mantis before putting the powder over her face. 

“I’d love to continue this conversation about how I’m the greatest thing that’s ever happened to you, but we have to go, we're going to be late.”

“Shit you’re right.” 

“I always am.” 

***

They stumble into the hall where Gamora is getting her last minute preparations for her coronation. 

“Oh good. I thought you two were going to be late.” 

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world, Sister,” Nebula says. 

Trumpets sound and Gamora snaps to attention. 

“I don’t think  _ you _ want to be late to your coronation, Your Majesty,” Nebula smirks. 

Gamora's glare towards her has no malice behind it, only humor. The doors open up and she steps outside. 

“She’s going to be a good queen,” Mantis says. 

“Yeah, she is.” 

**Author's Note:**

> This took me way too long to write and edits so I would really appreciate kudos/comments if you enjoyed this. They honestly fuel my motivation.


End file.
